WARREN — A man from whom several kilograms of cocaine was seized during a traffic stop last year on Interstate 80 in Trumbull County was sentenced Wednesday to 15 years in federal prison.

Patrick O’Meara, 55, who’s address was not listed, pleaded guilty in August to two counts of possession of cocaine and having a firearm when not allowed.

U.S. Judge Pamela Barker sentenced O’Meara to what was his third federal drug conviction. He had previous convictions in 2003 and 2011.

O’Meara was named in a Dec. 15 indictment by a federal grand jury after he was arrested during a Nov. 18, 2022, traffic stop by the Ohio State Highway Patrol along I-80. Troopers had spotted O’Meara driving a white Chevrolet Impala along I-80 and observed him driving “too closely” behind vehicles, which led to the stop, the patrol report states.

Troopers noted that O’Meara made little eye contact and showed increased “nervousness” and “respiration” during the stop. A drug sniffing dog was called and detected drugs in the car, prompting troopers to conduct a search that turned up four kilograms of suspected cocaine inside a duffel bag in the trunk of O’Meara’s vehicle.

Drug Enforcement Administration agents received a federal search warrant for a home inn Elyria associated with O’Meara and for two storage units in Cleveland. Officers found about 13 kilograms and firearms while executing the search warrant.

O’Meara’s attorney argued that evidence found during the stop should’ve been suppressed, stating that law enforcement “prolonged” the traffic stop of the defendant and continued an unlawful detainment after completing the traffic stop without “reasonable articulable suspicion,” allowing time for the police dog to arrive.

The court denied the suppression motion, ruling that troopers conducted a lawful stop on O’Meara and had probable cause to search his vehicle. Baker also ruled that the troopers had reason to prolong the stop and request a dog.